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In Summary: Amazon now offers more than 150 Dash Buttons but no one knows how successful they really are. Research has claimed that fewer than half the people who own a Dash Button have bothered to press it.

Dash buttons probably aren’t meant to drive significant revenue for Amazon. The true goal is to generate data. By understanding the shopping habits of brands’ most loyal customers, Amazon has a better chance to create the shopping business of the future.

The next phase for Amazon will likely involve using what it has learned to offer even more ways to buy stuff with minimal effort. If you never have to think about that button, it’s because Amazon is doing the thinking for you.

In Summary: Commercial software is almost always a bargain (in time and money) versus systems built internally. Product Managers should beware every request to 'do it ourselves' and avoid falling victim to the DIY illusion.

The DIY Illusion is a fundamental misunderstanding of software economics. Claims of uniqueness or a special need to 'roll our own' should be viewed with scepticism.

Faced with a realistic assessment of costs, timelines, risks and product focus, Product Mangers should expect to recommend buying existing software every time.

In Summary: In recent months, eFounders have launched 4 SaaS products that made it into the Product Hunt Top 10. As a result they've chosen to document what Product Teams actually get from launching there.

The main thing is you get a lot of traffic to your product, more than from anywhere else. PH's API means you get cross-featured on other platforms too.

Interest can last more than a day, especially if you hit the Top 5 (or even #1), as you get an additional boost from being featured in their newsletters.

Unlike other forums (like Hacker News), visitors from Product Hunt can actually turn into leads. But PH's exact algorithm is a bit of a black box, the most upvotes doesn't guarantee you the #1 spot.

So what is this all actually worth? eFounders reckon a successful launch on Product Hunt is equivalent to €7000 in online advertising. Not bad for a free channel.

Product Leaders

In Summary: The #1 thing employers are looking for in a resume is 'Product Manager' as a current job title. It's surprising how many applications come from folks who want to be a PM or do a job that is 'like a Product Manager.'

If you get an interview, make sure you do your homework. Unless you’re talking with a stealth startup, don’t open the discussion with 'Tell me what your company does.'

If you’re applying online, remember 00s of other PMs are too. Most companies match exactly the job specs as published. So if you look different than the spec, you’ll need to find additional ways of getting in the door.

Remember, application processes are deeply flawed and wildly random. Don't get so hung up on a single company that you neglect a dozen other good matches.

Designing Product

In Summary: Facebook recently admitted it slows down its interface to make users feel safe.

Websites and apps now operate in milliseconds. But such speed can make users sceptical or even confused, so product teams have responded by building slower, more deliberate interfaces.

Harvard researchers dub this phenomenon 'the labour illusion.' They found that people generally prefer delayed results and consider them more valuable than instantaneous ones, provided the interface includes some level of feedback.

But there are limits to how long people will wait and this depends on the type of product. Users expect a dating engine to find them a match faster than a travel engine can find them a trip.